"Then Jesus Cried Out" (John 12:44)
Jesus wants to give His testimony through you. He doesn't simply wish to do so, He is "desperately" yearning to cry out from inside of you the words of the Father.
When people heard the testimony of the resurrection of Lazarus, they greeted Jesus as a king and the Pharisees were pretty upset (John 12:17-18).
When people hear the testimony of the new creation resurrection in YOU, they will greet Jesus as King. There will still be Pharisees though...
Now Greeks came looking for Jesus. This was an act of pure faith. I mean, they were not Jews, the promise was not theirs, the Law and the prophecies were not theirs, but they ignored all kinds of cultural and racial barriers and were begging Philip to take them to Jesus. (John 12:20-22)
Philip was confused and didn't know what to do... He went to Andrew and they went to see Jesus. We get confused often when people we do not consider to be of the appropriate stature approach us for the testimony of Jesus in our lives.
Jesus' words were very clear: "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." (John 12:23-26).
If we were there we would most probably respond to Jesus' words by saying something like: "huh?!? so what do we tell these Greeks???"
The disciples didn't realize that they just informed Jesus of the first order or assignment that came in for the Church. To preach the gospel to the gentile world is our inheritance. And this plea from the Greeks was a sign for Jesus. He realized that it was time for him to die, rise, ascend,, send the Holy Spirit and get the Church movin'.
"Now My soul is troubled" (John 12:27a). Who can relate to this? How many among us get all troubled when it comes to witnessing, when it comes to denying our fears and our selves and taking that step of faith which demands a death to self.
"And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour." (John 12:27b). You should remind yourself that the only reason why you are still here on earth after being saved is so you could witness to the Light of Jesus.
"Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”" (John 12:28-29). When you take that decision and step of faith, you will find yourself in the supernatural with a confirmation from the Father: "If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." (John 12:26)
"But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him" (John 12:37). And it's sometimes the same with us. Despite signs and wonders, people still do not believe the testimony of Jesus in our lives. This is the point where we can either fall in despair or totally die to self and let the Father speak through us.
We can be believers who tell people of what Jesus had done and is doing in our lives, in our own words or present the Gospel as we have known it. But there's another level of testifying and that is when the Father speaks through you directly through the Holy Spirit. I'm talking about prophetic words exploding from the inner most parts of your soul.
"Then Jesus cried out" (John 12:44a). Jesus was just speaking up to this point, but now he started crying out. This is the spring of living waters jetting out with the power of the Spirit. And this is the nature of the testimony they bring:
"He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness...For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”" (John 12:44-46,49-50).
This is the nature of the words that will resound out of your mouth and into the souls of the lost people around you as the Father speaks to their hearts. it won't be your words, or your composition but 100% supernatural words, prophetic words that are sharper than a double edged sword and penetrate the inner most parts of the human soul.
As long as you are in the world and you have Jesus, His words, His testimony in your life, make good use of it!
"A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35-36)
This is the only reason why you are still living on earth. So brothers and sisters, let's all renew our strength of faith and breakthrough these barriers of fear, indifference, and despair. The world needs the testimony of Jesus' resurrection power that is in your life!
Let's walk by faith. Let the Father cry out His words through your anointed mouth today!
Psalm 45:1-7
My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
With Your glory and Your majesty.
And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
